Process for manufacturing paper-stock and paper from cotton-stalks, &amp;c.



WILLIAM HENRY CROLL. OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING PAPER-STOCK AND PAPER FROM COTTON-STALKS, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

No Drawing. Application filed May 15. 1918, Serial No. 767,944. RenewedMay 20, 1915. Serial No. 29,449.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM H. Cnonn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of (leorgia, haveinvented certain new and useful lm n-ovements in Processes forMannfacturing Paper-Stock and Paper from (otton-Stalks, &c.; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will euable others skilled in the artto whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the process ofmaking paper stock and paper from cotton stalks in which not only thestalks but also the roots, branches, leaves and cotton bolls, notmatured, are utilized.

The process consists in gathering the stalks and, after the same arecured, they are placed in tanks or other receptacles in which they areallowed to expand in water with other materials necessary for theheating process, after which cold water is turned on and the mass ofmaterial agitated until the stalks are thoroughly Washed, after whichthe stalks are treated by certain chemicals to be hereinafter fullydescribed.

More specifically, the present invention consists in the utilization ofthe entire stalk of the cotton plant which, after being thoroughly curedand washed Within a tank or vat, is relieved of all moisture andsediment, and into the tank containing the stalks is added lime,previously slaked in cold water and thoroughly dissolved, and of aconsistency to conveniently pour and equal in weight to substantiallytwenty per cent. of the dry weight of the raw material, after which fiveper cent. of caustic soda is added to the lime solution and then coldwater is turned on until the steam pipes, which are adapted to runthrough the center or aXis of the rotary tank, are covered, this beingdone to prevent any burning from the steam pipe when the steam is turnedon. After revolving or agitating until the chemicals become thoroughlymixed through the cotton stalks, steam is turned on slowly heating thestock and continuing to cook and boil the same while the material isbeing agitated, in order to insure a thorough permeation of thechemicals through the stock. This process usually requires several hoursaccording to the amount of stock to be cooked and the size and kind ofreceptacles in which the cooking is done.

An important thing to bear in mind in carrying out my process is to seethat the cooking process is done slowly and not too much steam turned onas to cause a high pressure in the tanks and which would cause a loss inthe amount of the fiber and also cause the chemicals to attack theoutside of the stalks and disintegrate them before the liquid chemicalshave had time to penetrate the inside of the stalk. In the presentprocess, I avoid these errors and do not expedite the boiling until thechemicals are able to permeate the fiber, thus securing a uniform cookedstock and at the same time, avoid a considerable loss of fiber, which inpaper making is undoubtedly a very important desideratum.

After the cooking of the stock is finished, it is emptied into a pitprovided with suitable drains in the bottom, whereby the liquor may bedrained off, at the same time the stock is allowed to cool. \Vhensufliciently cooled and drained, the stock is now transferred from thepits by carriers or otherwise to boaters with washers attached, and thestock thoroughly washed in cold water and freed from the chemicalsemployed in the cooking process, and at the same time the fiber is drawnout by careful handling of the roll of the beater, rather than choppedand the fibers ruined as is frequently done by incompetent handling.

If the stock should be found to be not thoroughly cooked, as willsometimes happen, in the event of being short of stock,

sulfuric acid and soda ash may be added, and the fiber continued to behandled in the heaters until the raw and lumpy stock has disappeared,and the stock is drawn out sufliciently for the kind and quality ofpaper to be made. This being done, the heaters are emptied into chestsor vats with suitable agitators therein in order to keep the stockstirred up from the bottom, rather than around and around as is usuallydone, allowing a great proportion of heavy stock to set:

tle to the bottom, In the event of the not being wanted for useimmediately, itiriay be run into drainers where it may remaln for a longtime before using. It is preferable, however, to leave it in thedrainers for a short time in order to allow the stock to ripen whichwill make it easier to work and a better quality of paper secured. Fromthe chests or vats, the stock may be pumped and run through a refiningengine to destroy any lumps or knotty substances, whereby a uniform andeven quality of stock is produced. From the refining engines, the stockmay be passed to the paper machines from which it is fed onto thecylinder mold or a Fourdrinier Wire and made up into paper.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that, by my improved rocess, I amnot only able to produce a much better quality of stock and paper thanheretofore accomplished, but can handle the stock much cheaper andobtain a larger product out of the same amount of raw material than hasheretofore been accomplished by other processes which have been used.

What I claim to be new is A process of making paper stock and paper fromcotton stalks, etc., consisting of treating the stock to the action ofwater to cause the material to expand and afterward treating the stockin a saturated solution of lime and small percentage of caustic soda inwhich the stock is cooked, the dissolved lime entering into combinationwith the noncellulose portion of the stock, allowing the water todissolve further quantities of the lime, the dissolving action causingall of the resinous and fatty matters of the stock to enter intocombination with the lime.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY CROLL.

Witnesses:

Ammo E. MAYER, Z. R. Urcuunon.

